I have sent a PM to a pinsider to ask about the availability of a game. I did not buy the game but only because they had already sold it and had not updated their collection. Yes I would have expected to pay a premium since I was the one on the hunt for the game.

It never hurts to ask. Most of the games I sell are not listed on pinside. Most pinsiders are a little bit too nitpicky about games but whatever.

I have sold on an unsolicited offer and I have certainly made ones as well. I agree. What does have one to lose by simply asking? In fact, the BDK/IM/Avatar I just picked up was basically an unsolicited offer!

I did that once trying to buy a Williams Wonderland. Guess what? He wasn't selling.

I get asked all the time if I would sell a game,sometimes I am on the fence on selling it,but when I know I can have a relatively easy sale,it makes the decision a little easier.
One of the crappiest things when selling anything is all the tire kickers you have to deal with

I've gotten a few "hey, let me know whenever you're ready to sell game x" messages.

If and when I'm ready to sell those games, I'll give the same price as I'll post in a marketplace ad. Unless I've bought and sold with the person before--then I'll knock off a few bucks for a hastle-free sale.

I've also gotten a few PMs when someone was selling a game on my wishlist.

Not on here, but I have friends that have asked if I would let a game go. I offered my pm to a friend because he has been bugging me to sell it to him. It would take a bit of a premium for me to let it go because I doubt I will get another shot at one.

Speaking of PM, I had someone on here offer it to me unsolicited because it was on my wishlist. I bought it for their asking price.

I've been on the other side of this. I offered about $500 more than a game was worth, because it was pretty rare and I'd been looking for one for over 8 years. I was excited just to find one in a collection within 300 miles. When you're making a "cold call" offer like this you have to forget about lowballing.

If I was the seller in this scenario, I'd send a few good pics and say "make me an offer and I'll think about it." And I'd feel no pressure to negotiate or make a counteroffer, a simple "no thanks" if it's not enough to persuade me to sell it.

It's happened to me more than once. I create ads for games that I'm looking to sell. Beyond that...

everything I own is always for sale. You just won't like the price.

I've had several, most regarding BSD (I've had as many as 5 games at a time but now the only game i own). I've politely declined but never sold via this method as I have several standing offers from locals to buy the game. Nobody asked about MM, AFM, TZ or TAF when i owned them...

How much for pinball magic?

I had The Bally Game Show listed on my Pinside 'Wish List'. Some guy in my city who was not a pinhead had one he wanted to sell, so he Google it and stumbled across the Pinside site. He took the time to register an account and reached out to me and asked if I wanted to buy it. The price was way less than I could have ever found it for and he just wanted to get rid of it. I got lucky.

I'm looking for a Guns N Roses and an Austin Powers and have sent many messages to people here asking if they want to sell. I've never had a negative response and have always gotten the 'Thanks, but not selling at this time' response.

Indecent pinposals?

I have been successful in getting games and selling games this way. As far as a premium goes I don't think I added any value to the price but I didn't back down on what I wanted. As far as if i paid more...I don't think so. I paid what I expected to. If they came back with a crazy price I would pass.

I sold my last machine on an unsolicited offer. I don't mind them, but typically request that the person name a price or price range. I want to make sure that they are serious and that we are in the same ballpark.

None of this was on pinside but I just sold a game for my crazy price. Then instantly bought another game for their crazy price. Stranger things have happened.

Once, no, no, yes, no, no.

I have solicited others relatively near me to see if they were interested in selling a game.....but it didn't work out. Got no response from some and a "not interested in selling at this time" from the others. I eventually found (and drove 14 hrs round trip) to get my WMS IJ.

I have also been asked about selling some of mine over the years. I don't mind it at all.

We have a small group of northern Michigan hobbyists.....the NMPL (Northern Michigan Pinball League) with our own facebook page. We almost always put notice on there of games for sale or trade before listing them on here. This has worked out for us on numerous occasions.

I don't mind unsolicited offers, I'm not typically in a mindset to sell but if I'm thinking about it then why not

I get them fairly often which is fine with me . Everything is always for sale for the most part

I've bought and sold games off cold calls.

Even if it was an immediate no
Six months down the line we made a deal.

Wouldn't bother me if someone contacted me if they know how to communicate which isn't always a given.

I got an offer on my time machine recently as well. Asked me to give a price that made me comfortable. Unfortunately since i just found one and havent really played it much yet, keeping it is the only thing that made me comfortable regardless of price. But if you cant find the game you really want, cold calling the owners from the club section for that game may work. I have several games that arent for sale at market value, but that doesnt mean they arent for sale.....

I'm never going to post a "Should I get Humpty Dumpty or Hobbit, help me choose" thread. So I only list a game in my collection if I'm selling it.

I believe it has happened to me before, but I don't reply to them. I think not replying is the same as saying "no"....

This has happened to me twice. Both times it was games I had intended to sell at some point but hadn't put up yet or just kept intending to list it. Both times I sold the game.

that's how I got my Fathom not on Pinside but from another site called pinball owners database , noticed a really nice one on there & sent the guy a P.M & we made a deal I have also tried to do this for a couple of other titles that I desire but none of them were ready to sell

I have sold games on unsolicited offers. I've gotten lots of unsolicited offers, but never through Pinside though. I don't mind it, it's easy to say no if you don't want to sell and who knows, maybe they make you an offer you can't refuse or it leads to another deal. The only time it gets annoying to me is when you get horrendously low balled for a game you never advertised for sale. If you are going to come at me to try to get a game of mine I am not looking to sell, you need to AT LEAST offer market value.

I get asked probably once a month to sell Tx Sector and Centaur. Every so often on some tof the others.

I do nto think I have ever sold this way as I have either not been interested in selling or they came with a low ball offer.

I have reached out to some people that are local when looking for a specific game and have not beeen successful yet, but see no harm in politely asking.

I will say that I find it disrespectful when someone sends an unsolicitied PM, but neglects to say 'hi' or evern tell you their real life name. Sorry, but when you are cold calling, I expect you woudl atleast open with a hello and close with name...

I had one guy that was obsessed over one of my games and messaged me like 5 times till I finally told him to piss off.

side note: I did look at your collection Dave to see if there was anything I wanted to make an unsolicted offer on just now

me three

I've been hit up a few times (twice for my IM, once for FGY)...have politely declined so far.

Id sell my DETM for crazy money

I have had people try to do that with me. I basically think ok, I have x into it (which is normally too much) then add a few hundred since I am not done with the game yet. If I were done with it, I am willing to do market value (normally at a loss), but I have to be done with it to do that.

Sell yours for a crazy number, then trade your pinball magic to me for my time machine! Problem solved and everybody wins!

I have been asked a bunch of times if I'd sell my Skill Roll. It's listed as "never" being for sale on my Pinballowners account. It's worth a shot though and I'm never offended by being asked.

Dave you can't sell Time Machine. It's the one I like to play when I'm over.

Agreed. Because clicking the "reply" button, then typing in the words, "No thanks. Not interested in selling", and THEN clicking "send"? Yikes. Say goodbye to about half your day.

I have had a few. I have always said "No thanks........." and occasionally suggested the person contact someone else that I thought might have a game for sale.
Eventually I will probably say "Yes" if the offer is crazy enough.
Most everything I own is for sale at the right price.

As a prospective buyer, do you know what works best? Start a "wanted to buy" thread. Then, if someone is interested in selling... you'll find them without having to PM every stinkin' person on Pinside who has the game you're looking for.

Yeah, it kind of surprised me how much I enjoyed it.

I've had few injuries before and made some as well. I know I've bought at least one game that way.

You'd injure a person for their game ? WOW.

LTG : )™

I had some one ask if I was interested in swapping my TDK for his BBH

He asked politely, I politely replied 'no'

If you don't ask, the answer is always 'no'

Was able to score my very nice CV from an unsolicted PM I sent a local Pinsider. Also made the rounds when looking for TOTAN. I don't see any harm in it, and believe it's actually a good strategy to try and get the game you want. Most Pinsiders respond kindly; others don't respond at all, and that's OK too.